Origins & Early Life

John Ray Grisham Jr. ( GRISH-əm; born February 8, 1955) is an American writer, lawyer, and former politician, known for his best-selling legal thrillers. According to the American Academy of Achievement, Grisham has written 37 consecutive number-one fiction bestsellers, and his books have sold 300 million copies worldwide. Along with Tom Clancy and J.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

K. Rowling, Grisham is one of only three Anglophone authors to have sold two million copies on the first printing. Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University and earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981. He practiced criminal law for about a decade and served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1983 to 1990. Grisham's first novel, A Time to Kill, was published in June 1989, four years after he began writing it.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

It was later adapted into the 1996 feature film of the same name. Grisham's first bestseller, The Firm, sold more than seven million copies, and was also adapted into a 1993 feature film of the same name, starring Tom Cruise, and a 2012 TV series that continues the story ten years after the events of the film and novel. Seven of his other novels have also been adapted into...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Akira Toriyama — Contemporary (Born in 1955) (1955): Pioneering manga artist, creator of Dr. Slump and the global phenomenon, Dragon Ball.
• Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud — Contemporary (Born in 1955) (1955): Saudi billionaire, investor, and influential member of the House of Saud.
• Albert Einstein — Contemporary (Died in 1955) (1955): Pioneering theoretical physicist known for the theory of relativity and E=mc2.
• Amelia Bence — Shared historical date (02-08 · Died) (2016): Argentine film actress, a celebrated diva of the Golden Age of Argentine cinema.
• Baldassare Castiglione — Shared historical date (02-08 · Died) (1529): Influential Renaissance author and courtier, known for 'The Book of the Courtier'.
• Alexander Fleming — Historical peer (Died in 1955) (1955): Pioneering microbiologist known for the discovery of penicillin, revolutionizing medicine.
• Alexandros Papagos — Historical peer (Died in 1955) (1955): Greek military leader and politician who served as Prime Minister of Greece (1952-1955).
• Abigail Spencer — Historical peer (Born in 1981) (1981): American actress, producer, and writer known for roles in soap operas and dramas.
• Alicia Keys — Historical peer (Born in 1981) (1981): Award-winning pianist and vocalist known for her soulful R&B sound.
• Alfred Tarski — Historical peer (Died in 1983) (1983): Pioneering logician known for model theory and the formal concept of truth.
• 1955 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1955
• February 8 (02-08) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 8